Patents by Inventor Thomas F. Bergstraesser

Thomas F. Bergstraesser has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080091613
    Abstract: Innovative aspects provided herein pertain to digital rights management (DRM) and/or enforcement in conjunction with remote network clouds and services. Digital rights management licenses/rights/policies can be applied to personal files to facilitate worry free remote storage and/or file sharing. These rights can be identity-centric rather than machine centric, thereby facilitating access and usage from any network device anywhere. Various mechanisms are also disclosed to deter assorted uses of content and/or encourage rights acquisition as an alterative or in addition to technologically prohibitive means. Additionally, a system and method are provided that can afford a frictionless marketplace for file distribution, wherein content is protected and freely distributed and identity-centric rights can be purchased to access the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: William H. Gates, Ira L. Snyder, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, William J. Bolosky, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Kartik N. Raghavan
  • Publication number: 20080082465
    Abstract: An intelligent personalized agent monitors, regulates, and advises a user in decision-making processes for efficiency or safety concerns. The agent monitors an environment and present characteristics of a user and analyzes such information in view of stored preferences specific to one of multiple profiles of the user. Based on the analysis, the agent can suggest or automatically implement a solution to a given issue or problem. In addition, the agent can identify another potential issue that requires attention and suggests or implements action accordingly. Furthermore, the agent can communicate with other users or devices by providing and acquiring information to assist in future decisions. All aspects of environment observation, decision assistance, and external communication can be flexibly limited or allowed as desired by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, William J. Bolosky, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082490
    Abstract: The innovation enables generation of an index of cloud-based resources (e.g., data, services, applications). The index can be used to retrieve a subset of the cloud-based resources by analyzing a user-generated or standing query. ‘Identity’ and contextual factors can be incorporated to enable rich indexing as well as subsequent retrieval of meaningful resources. The cloud-based resources can be indexed and/or searched in accordance with diverse criteria including, but not limited to, type, size, data created, date modified, author core identity, object size, etc. As well, the innovation can provide for dynamically indexing and/or searching resources in accordance with current contextual factors including, but not limited to, author current acting capacity (e.g., current identity), current engaged activity of a user, location, time, date, etc. All of these criteria can facilitate indexing and categorizing of the resources for later retrieval and rendering via a rich index view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew B. MacLaurin, Raymond E. Ozzie, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Michael Connolly, Daniel S. Glasser, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Kartik N. Raghavan
  • Publication number: 20080082670
    Abstract: A system and method that facilitates and effectuates communications between disparate clients that reside in a network topology (e.g., cloud). The system and method provides a component that receives one or more prospective end points, a set of desired communication criteria/characteristics, and desired content extant on one of the clients that reside on network topology. Additionally, the system and method provides a component that establishes communications pathways to one or more prospective end points or to subsequently identified end points to facilitate transfer of desired content from the end point to a requesting client.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander G. Gounares, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, William J. Bolosky, Christopher W. Brumme, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Michael Maggs, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Kartik N. Raghavan, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath, David R. Treadwell
  • Publication number: 20080083036
    Abstract: A system that enables a cloud-based data repository to function as a secure ‘drop-box’ for data that corresponds to a user is provided. The ‘drop box’ can be facilitated through the use of cryptographic keying technologies. For instance, data that is ‘dropped’ by or on behalf of a particular user can be encrypted using a public key that corresponds to a user-specific private key. Thus, although the data resides within the large pool of ‘cloud-based’ data, it is protected since it can only be decrypted by using the private key, which is kept secret. The innovation can further facilitate user-centric secure storage by partitioning the cloud-based repository into multiple partitions, each of which corresponds to specific indexing criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raymond E. Ozzie, William H. Gates, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Alexander G. Gounares, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Ira L. Snyder, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082467
    Abstract: Personal data mining mechanisms and methods are employed to identify relevant information that otherwise would likely remain undiscovered. Users supply personal data that can be analyzed in conjunction with data associated with a plurality of other users to provide useful information that can improve business operations and/or quality of life. Personal data can be mined alone or in conjunction with third party data to identify correlations amongst the data and associated users. Applications or services can interact with such data and present it to users in a myriad of manners, for instance as notifications of opportunities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Nishant V. Dani, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath, David R. Treadwell, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082393
    Abstract: Personal data mining mechanisms and methods are employed to identify relevant information that otherwise would likely remain undiscovered. Users supply personal data that can be analyzed in conjunction with data associated with a plurality of other users to provide useful information that can improve business operations and/or quality of life. Personal data can be mined alone or in conjunction with third party data to identify correlations amongst the data and associated users. Applications or services can interact with such data and present it to users in a myriad of manners, for instance as notifications of opportunities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raymond E. Ozzie, William H. Gates, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Nishant V. Dani, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath, David R. Treadwell, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082311
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide for a virtual reality entertainment system that supplies immersive entertainment and creates a sensation for a user similar to having guests in a remote location to be physically present as virtual guests. Such virtual reality entertainment system can supply a graphic and/or audio; wherein interconnected computers, video and audio processing devices, supply a live interaction between a user and a guest(s). Although guests are only present virtually (e.g., electronically present with other objects/user within the environment) such virtual invitation enables a user and guests to concurrently experience the entertainment together (e.g., a live sporting event, spectator game). In a related aspect, the subject innovation can implement holographic avatars, and a plurality of communication interfaces, to imitate (and/or transform) a relationship between the user and the virtual guests/surrounding environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080079752
    Abstract: Systems and methods that provide for a virtual reality entertainment system that supplies immersive entertainment and creates a sensation for a user similar to having guests in a remote location to be physically present as virtual guests. Such virtual reality entertainment system can supply a graphic and/or audio; wherein interconnected computers, video and audio processing devices, supply a live interaction between a user and a guest(s). Although guests are only present virtually (e.g., electronically present with other objects/user within the environment) such virtual invitation enables a user and guests to concurrently experience the entertainment together (e.g., a live sporting event, spectator game). In a related aspect, the subject innovation can implement holographic avatars, and a plurality of communication interfaces, to imitate (and/or transform) a relationship between the user and the virtual guests/surrounding environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: William H. Gates, Gary W. Flake, Alexander G. Gounares, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Daniel S. Glasser, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082464
    Abstract: An intelligent personalized agent monitors, regulates, and advises a user in decision-making processes for efficiency or safety concerns. The agent monitors an environment and present characteristics of a user and analyzes such information in view of stored preferences specific to one of multiple profiles of the user. Based on the analysis, the agent can suggest or automatically implement a solution to a given issue or problem. In addition, the agent can identify another potential issue that requires attention and suggests or implements action accordingly. Furthermore, the agent can communicate with other users or devices by providing and acquiring information to assist in future decisions. All aspects of environment observation, decision assistance, and external communication can be flexibly limited or allowed as desired by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raymond E. Ozzie, William H. Gates, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, William J. Bolosky, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082601
    Abstract: A computing paradigm where information can be aggregated from multiple services/programs within a ‘cloud-based’ environment is provided. Thus, the system can provide a uniform interface that can combine computational tasks across the multiple services/programs. Thus, the innovation takes advantage of the computing device being a ‘thin client’ which affords greater user comfort to a user without sacrificing data processing capabilities. Accordingly, the mechanisms are disclosed that standardize and/or normalize data across the resources within the cloud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Debi P. Mishra, Ira L. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20080082667
    Abstract: Remote provisioning of an IT network and/or associated services is provided. Hardware, software, service and/or expertise can be moved from on-premise to a remote location (e.g., central, distributed . . . ). Accordingly, at least a large degree computation can be moved to the center to exploit economies of scale, among other things. In such an architecture, computational resources (e.g., data storage, computation power, cache . . . ) can be pooled, and entities can subscribe to a particular level of resources related to a private entity IT network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Nishant V. Dani, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, Galen C. Hunt, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath
  • Publication number: 20080082448
    Abstract: Innovative aspects provided herein pertain to digital rights management (DRM) and/or enforcement in conjunction with remote network clouds and services. Digital rights management licenses/rights/policies can be applied to personal files to facilitate worry free remote storage and/or file sharing. These rights can be identity-centric rather than machine centric, thereby facilitating access and usage from any network device anywhere. Various mechanisms are also disclosed to deter assorted uses of content and/or encourage rights acquisition as an alternative or in addition to technologically prohibitive means. Additionally, a system and method are provided that can afford a frictionless marketplace for file distribution, wherein content is protected and freely distributed and identity-centric rights can be purchased to access the content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, William J. Bolosky, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Dane A. Glasgow, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, James R. Larus, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Kartik N. Raghavan, Ira L. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20080082782
    Abstract: The innovation enables generation of an index of cloud-based resources (e.g., data, services, applications). The index can be used to retrieve a subset of the cloud-based resources by analyzing a user-generated or standing query. ‘Identity’ and contextual factors can be incorporated to enable rich indexing as well as subsequent retrieval of meaningful resources. The cloud-based resources can be indexed and/or searched in accordance with diverse criteria including, but not limited to, type, size, data created, date modified, author core identity, object size, etc. As well, the innovation can provide for dynamically indexing and/or searching resources in accordance with current contextual factors including, but not limited to, author current acting capacity (e.g., current identity), current engaged activity of a user, location, time, date, etc. All of these criteria can facilitate indexing and categorizing of the resources for later retrieval and rendering via a rich index view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Raymond E. Ozzie, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Michael Connolly, Daniel S. Glasser, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Kartik N. Raghavan
  • Publication number: 20080082480
    Abstract: A computing paradigm where information can be aggregated from multiple services/programs within a ‘cloud-based’ environment is provided. Thus, the system can provide a uniform interface that can combine computational tasks across the multiple services/programs. Thus, the innovation takes advantage of the computing device being a ‘thin client’ which affords greater user comfort to a user without sacrificing data processing capabilities. Accordingly, the mechanisms are disclosed that standardize and/or normalize data across the resources within the cloud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander G. Gounares, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, James R. Larus, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Debi P. Mishra, Ira L. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20080080718
    Abstract: A system that enables a cloud-based data repository to function as a secure ‘drop-box’ for data that corresponds to a user is provided. The ‘drop box’ can be facilitated through the use of cryptographic keying technologies. For instance, data that is ‘dropped’ by or on behalf of a particular user can be encrypted using a public key that corresponds to a user-specific private key. Thus, although the data resides within the large pool of ‘cloud-based’ data, it is protected since it can only be decrypted by using the private key, which is kept secret. The innovation can further facilitate user-centric secure storage by partitioning the cloud-based repository into multiple partitions, each of which corresponds to specific indexing criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Raymond E. Ozzie, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Alexander G. Gounares, Debi P. Mishra, Ira L. Snyder, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082546
    Abstract: Remote provisioning of an IT network and/or associated services is provided. Hardware, software, service and/or expertise can be moved from on-premise to a remote location (e.g., central, distributed . . . ). Accordingly, at least a large degree computation can be moved to the center to exploit economies of scale, among other things. In such an architecture, computational resources (e.g., data storage, computation power, cache . . . ) can be pooled, and entities can subscribe to a particular level of resources related to a private entity IT network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, William H. Gates, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Nishant V. Dani, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, Galen C. Hunt, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Amit Mital, Ira L. Snyder, Chandramohan A. Thekkath
  • Publication number: 20080082600
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates re-locating a web application associated with a network service utilizing a portion of serialized data. The network service can be any collection of resources that are maintained by a party (e.g., third-party, off-site, etc.) and accessible by an identified user over a network (e.g., WAN, Internet, etc.). A receiver component can receive a request for initiating and execution of a process that is maintained by the network service. A servicing component can analyze representations of multiple processes within the network service and determines whether to enable initiation and execution of the process based at least in part upon the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Michael Connolly, Dane A. Glasgow, Alexander G. Gounares, Galen C. Hunt, James R. Larus, Matthew B. MacLaurin, David R. Treadwell
  • Publication number: 20080083040
    Abstract: A user-centric or identity-centric resource licensing system that manages access to ‘cloud-based’ resources (e.g., applications and services) is provided. A ‘cloud’ refers to a collection of resources (e.g., hardware and/or software) provided and maintained by an off-site or off-premise party (e.g., third party), wherein the collection of resources can be accessed by an identified user via a network. In accordance with the user-centric licensing model, the resource license (and subscription) rights can migrate with a user without regard to physical location, device used, or other contextual factors (e.g., activity engaged). Effectively, the rights are mapped (and tracked) as a function of a user identity, which can be a core identity or an identity based upon activity engaged, role, capacity, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nishant V. Dani, William H. Gates, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Lili Cheng, Daniel S. Glasser, Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Ira L. Snyder, Melora Zaner-Godsey
  • Publication number: 20080082466
    Abstract: Systems and methods that recognize items based on aggregated tagging behavior of users regarding the items. Individual users can establish relationships among tagged items and the system analyzes aggregate of such established relationships, to recognize the item and/or infer additional information regarding the items (e.g., wisdom of crowd such as metadata annotations, relevance ranking, and the like). Subsequently, search engine crawlers can be supplied with such additional information (e.g., extra metadata for reverse link search tables) to facilitate enterprise management and search.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henricus Johannes Maria Meijer, Raymond E. Ozzie, Gary W. Flake, Thomas F. Bergstraesser, Arnold N. Blinn, Christopher W. Brumme, Lili Cheng, Michael Connolly, Daniel S. Glasser, Alexander G. Gounares, Matthew B. MacLaurin, Debi P. Mishra, Melora Zaner-Godsey